 "Photo: Echo file photo")
 "Photo: Patrick Farrell/Miami Herald (MCT)")
Two first-generation Haitian Americans with ties to N.C. Central University are struggling to come to grips with the scope of the tragedy.
Rony Camille is an NCCU alumnus who graduated in 2007. Camille first heard that an earthquake had struck Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12 while at work at his job as media program director for Tyngsborough, Mass.
"It was horrible. My mom is one of 10 kids and I have very few immediate family members here in the U.S. and the rest live in Haiti," he said.
"We have been trying to call but to no avail," he said last Friday. After finding out that a cousin had died in a collapsed building, Camille decided to fly to Haiti to check on other family members. "I am prepping myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Seeing my family will bring a lot of relief."
Mass communication junior Natasha Gordon was also in the dark about her family's situation in Haiti. "We couldn't get in contact with any family until this past Friday," she said.
"It was also about the orphans we are responsible for," she said. "Thankfully there weren't any casualties."
Gordon said one orphanage had minor damages, but the other is "completely gone." Combined, the two orphanages care for 45 children.
Gordon, who plans to fly to Haiti next month, said it's important that students help out. "My goal is to start fundraising as soon as possible." Gordon is working with Duke University's Haitian Student Association and with NCCU's student organizations to get support for Haiti.
After finding out that a cousin had died in a collapsed building, Camille decided to fly to Haiti to check on other family members.
"I am prepping myself mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Seeing my family will bring a lot of relief," he said.
Mass communication junior Natasha Gordon was also in the dark about her family in Haiti.
"We couldn't get in contact with any family until this past Friday," she said.
"It was also about the orphans we are responsible for," she said, explaining that her parent operate two orphanages that care for 45 children.
"Thankfully there weren't any casualties." Gordon said one orphanage had minor damages, but the other is "completely gone."
Gordon, who plans to fly to Haiti next month, said it's important for students to help.
"My goal is to start fundraising as soon as possible," she said.
The Student Government Association has called an emergency council meeting for January 22 to bring presidents of all campus organizations together to come up with ideas on how to help Haiti.
Camille returned from Haiti yesterday with news that his cousin died in a collapsed office building, but that the rest of his family survived. He described the situation as "really bad."
Camille chose not to listen to warnings and took the bus from the Dominican Republic into Haiti.
"I was scared. At one point I lost it. I thought we were going to die," he said, referring to when he crossed into Haiti. He said the roads were so bad that the bus was about to tip into a lake.
"People are sleeping on the streets in tents." Prices have been raised on food and other resources, according to Camille. Exchanging Dominican pesos for the Haitian gourde was "twice the amount as usual. Many buildings are gone," he said.
"My biggest fear is the aftermath. This country has gone through a lot. This is worse than 911, Katrina and the tsunami." "This is a country that doesn't have infrastructure. There is no food or water," he said.
On a more positive note, Camille said, "They are in high spirits ... and people are being civilized."
Gordon also stressed the country's inadequate infrastructure. "It's hard to get around to help people," she said.
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